Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for X-Men ’97 episode 3 “Fire Made Flesh.”
Marvel Studios’ triumphant animated series X-Men ’97 has proffered another incredible adventure littered with Marvel references and Easter eggs. A revival of the classic 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series, X-Men ’97 recommences the narrative months later, with some highly consequential narratives. Demonstrating an equally adept attention to detail as its predecessor, X-Men ’97 has included many references to the original series and the X-Men’s impressive comic book legacy.
Episode 3, “Fire Made Flesh,” saw the eponymous mutant heroes deal with the fallout left by X-Men ’97 episode 2 “Mutant Liberation Begins.” Faced with a Jean Grey clone and Mister Sinister’s reemergence, the X-Men team faces immense adversity as they must confront their pasts. Much of this builds upon narratives depicted in X-Men: The Animated Series, leading to a wealth of delightful references and callbacks.
The X-Men ’93 opening credits have evolved with each episode, adding new character introductions and action sequences appropriate for each episode. Episode 3, “Fire Made Flesh,” included an image of Roberto running into a chain-link fence while pursued by a mob of hate-filled humans. This is a direct reference to the original X-Men: TAS opening, which featured Jubilee in an identical position.
Roberto, also known as Sunspot, has assumed Jubilee’s original role in X-Men: TAS as a conduit to introduce new viewers to the X-Men team and themes. Recreating the original Jubilee scene with Roberto is a blatant acknowledgment of Roberto’s new role, while nostalgically recreating one of the most memorable moments from X-Men: TAS.
Xavier has been notably absent from X-Men ’97, which has presented his absence as if the character had died. In fact, Xavier is off-planet, receiving vital medical care from the Shi’ar and his lover, Lilandra. X-Men ’97 initially proffered no clarity on this, with many characters talking about Xavier as if he had died.
However, X-Men ’97 has seemingly clarified this position in another key scene added to the opening credits. This scene depicts Xavier and Lilandra aboard a Shi’ar spacecraft as Lilandra angrily slams her fist into a control panel. Lilandra also appeared in “The Phoenix Saga” and “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” making this brief scene an even more pertinent reference.
Another major reference in X-Men 97’s opening credits for “Fire Made Flesh” features Storm (with her original hair) shielding Cyclops and Wolverine from Magneto’s attack on a military base. This is a recreation of X-Men: The Animated Series season 1, episode 3, “Enter Magneto.” The episode itself was inspired by the very first X-Men comic, in which the X-Men battled Magneto for the very first time.
Attacking a military base, Magneto seizes control of devastating weaponry, which he intends to launch at humans. The X-Men: TAS rendition climaxed as Storm intended to sacrifice herself by diverting the launched missiles away. Referencing “Enter Magneto,” X-Men ’97 recalls the original series and the first ever X-Men comic while also laying the groundwork to explore Storm’s powers and identity and Magneto’s strained history with the X-Men.
Another reference to X-Men: The Animated Series in the X-Men ’97 “Flesh Made Fire” opening credits features Cyclops watching on as Jean is consumed as the Dark Phoenix. This scene recalls the heartbreaking conclusion to X-Men: TAS’s “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” in which Jean is overcome by the Phoenix’s power and influence.
This reference adds emotional stakes to the upcoming narrative by recollecting the tragic original storyline in which Jean Grey seemingly died. This scene reminds audiences of the tragic and tumultuous backstory and the difficult decision Cyclops had to make in eventually attempting to defeat Phoenix. This mirrors the difficult decisions he will soon face when he discovers that Jean Grey is a clone.
Also added to the X-Men ’97 opening credits is a moment when Rogue places her hand over Gambit’s mouth and kisses him. This is a direct reference to previous X-Men: The Animated Series episodes wherein Rogue uses the same technique to kiss Gambit without sapping his powers or life force. The couple also repeats this sporadically in Marvel Comics.
This scene references the pair’s long-standing romance in the comics and X-Men: The Animated Series. Specifically, it recalls the limitations within their relationship due to Rogue’s mutant ability and the strains this has put on their romance. This makes Rogue’s romance with Magneto even more difficult for Gambit to bear – setting up his hallucination later in the episode.
Morph’s shapeshifting proffers ample opportunity to inject some mutant references into X-Men ’97. The first two episodes featured a delightful range of mutants with varying abilities that Morph was able to apply adeptly to combat situations. Episode 3, “Fire Made Flesh” has fewer instances of this, but they are still of note. Firstly, Morph transforms himself into Spiral, a famed X-Men character often associated with the villain Mojo. Spiral is known for her distinctive multiple arms and metallic armor and previously appeared in X-Men: TAS season 2, episode 22 “Mojovision.”
Morph also transforms into Ilyana Rasputin – the younger sister to the X-Men’s Colossus. As Ilyana, Morph can be seen charging into battle armed with her trademark sword before assuming Ilyana’s Magik form. Ilyana Previously appeared in X-Men: TAS season 2, episode 4 “Red Dawn.”
During X-Men ’97 “Fire Made Flesh,” Jean scans her mind for memories. These memories include references and scenes directly taken from X-Men: The Animated Series. Jean sees her original X-Men: TAS costume, comprising a full body, flesh-colored suit with her red hair poking out the top. Jean’s original Marvel Girl costume is also depicted, featuring a green dress and pointed yellow mask – which has already been referenced in X-Men ’97. These costumes featured notably in X-Men: TAS‘s rendition of “The Phoenix Saga” and “The Dark Phoenix Saga,” which Jean also remembers.
A classic shot from X-Men: The Animated Series “The Dark Phoenix Saga” depicts Storm and Beast looking up to Jean as she transforms into the Dark Phoenix. This is recreated in X-Men ’97 – including Beast’s backpack and Storm’s original hair. The scene in which Wolverine walks away from Jean and Cyclops kissing recreates a famed scene from X-Men: The Animated Series season 1, episode 5, “Captive Hearts,” in which the same event occurs – this also became a highly popular meme used to connote sadness.
When Jean Grey and Madelyne Pryor telepathically explore the memories that they share in X-Men ‘97’s “Fire Made Flesh,” several classic X-Men comic covers are used to represent their memories. One notable example is the cover from Uncanny X-Men #136, “Child of Light and Darkness,” which depicts Cyclops holding Jean Grey’s prone body while dressed in her Dark Phoenix outfit, set against a purple background.
X-Men ’97 recreates this perfectly, adapting the costumes slightly to fit with the designs used in X-Men: The Animated Series. Another memory includes an allusion to the X-Men: First Class comic and the original-era X-Men costumes. This reference previously appeared in X-Men ’97 as a photograph.
As Bishop prepares to travel into the future with Nate Grey, he dons his time travel bracelets seen in X-Men: The Animated Series. These allow Bishop to remain in a time period, and if removed or broken, Bishop is ripped back through time. This is depicted in X-Men: The Animated Series and Bishop would wear these bands on every temporal excursion in the series.